Comfortable-Uncomfortable 27June-3July

Figureskates · #1 06-27-2005, 02:08 PM

Do you realize June is almost gone? Where does the time go?

Now that we are in the heat of summer, some places are enjoying comfortably cool weather while other are bearing up through hot and humid uncomfortable weather. So this week's thread is in honour of the summer weather.

COMFORTABLE: Forward inside and outside figure 8's are in pretty good shape. They are passable now. All I have to do is hold onto them until I get a chance to test at the end of August.

UNCOMFORTABLE: The waltz 8 requirement for pre-Figures. I passed in in PPM, but that was on a larger circle. For pre-Figures, the circle is smaller and that three turn comes real fast.

I hope everyone is getting some ice time this summer...sure a nice break from the hot stuff outside in some parts of the country.

cutiesk8r43 · #2 06-27-2005, 03:13 PM

Comfortable:
my dance coach complemented on my stroking and my spins were looking good today.

Uncomfortable:
my coach didn't show up for my lesson today

no luck with my axel (as usual)

~cutie

icedancer2 · #3 06-27-2005, 04:28 PM

Comfortable: Power 3s are getting better. Also 5-step mohawk. Now I just need to get the speed up!

Uncomfortable -- my new boots! I've developed blisters in several places and am in dire need of a good punching out (of the boots that is!). Also my coach didn't have time for my lesson today (too much chatting with parents of her "kid" students I'm afraid. And she's going out of town for a month and so I want to get as much as possible out of her before she leaves.

Oh well, I think all of her students feel that way. She is so phenomenal...

*JennaD* · #4 06-27-2005, 04:41 PM

Comfortable:

My skills have gotten a lot better...I still have trouble doing the 3 turn one (in preliminary), but its improved! My spins got sooo much better! I'm getting a lot more rotation on them than I used to.

Uncomfortable:

My dance is ok but I don't push hard enough and the rink that I'm testing at is like 12 feet longer than the rink I practice at, so I'm going to have to use a LOT more power than I'm using now

I still can't get enough rotation and get the proper position in my axel.

skateflo · #5 06-27-2005, 08:09 PM

Lesson tonight:
confortable - my spin is now getting consistant! Not fully centered yet, but so much improved. I think I am finally off the plateau!

unconfortable - worked on half lutz and salchow and got some more tiny pearls of wisdom from coach that will help my courage. Both are still scary for me but am determined.

Parting comment from coach "I know you don't like to be reminded about your age but you really are doing so great and even jumping!" Yeah, I don't feel almost 59, especially when I am on the ice!

phoenix · #6 06-27-2005, 11:18 PM

Very Uncomfortable!!: ugh--was off the ice for 9 days, then back on today for my lesson! Needless to say, was pretty crappy. Coach is on a mission to improve my footwork/turns/etc. so did a series of very difficult (for me) exercises involving brackets, choctaws, multiple 3 turns, edge changes & twizzles. Once I got to the point I was actually managing to do the mechanics of the exercise (several w/ my heart in my throat!!), I got the "you skate way, way, way too slow" speech, and would be sent out to do it again with more speed.

I know he's right but I was a little freaked out by a couple of them & will have to really work hard this week to get more comfortable & find my balance on them. I was trying not to show my fear & so instead got a little crabby, so it probably wasn't a very fun lesson for him either.

Comfortable: well, terrified feelings aside, I DID manage to go out & do everything he asked me to do, & this was my first time on the ice in 9 days, so it can only go up from here.

Mrs Redboots · #7 06-28-2005, 07:45 AM

Comfortable: With all the comps over for the time being, Husband and I decided to go Back to Basics this morning, and to work on speed, flow & edges in hold. All we did, for most of the session, was skate together forwards in Kilian hold.

Uncomfortable: The reason for this was that we got too steep on an LFO edge, don't know quite what happened, but there were were on the ice. Picked ourselves up, and I'm like, "Uh-oh, something's wrong!" Looked down at my leg, and I'm covered in blood! Of course, I'm wearing a practice-dress not a skirt, so have to strip to my skin, practically, to discover a very long graze across the outside of my calf. In fact, it's 5 very long grazes, where his toe-rake caressed me, but only one of them bled. Luckily it looks far worse than it is, and soon stopped bleeding. Still looks impressive, though!

Luckily I was able to skate in my street clothes (cropped pants & T-shirt) as I had a pair of socks with me, since my tights were covered in blood. But, of course, I kept bottling out of doing LFO/RFI chasses with Husband, and ended up having to make him go backwards so I could do them in waltz hold. Need a long social dance session to stop being afraid, I think!

Comfortable: Once he'd gone, worked on some stamina-building exercises with a friend, and even managed fairly respectable back cross-cuts & cross-rolls, so fairly pleased.

Uncomfortable: Total lack of motivation going round the rink this morning - even the elites got off early as they couldn't be bothered!

jenlyon60 · #8 06-28-2005, 08:07 AM

Comfortable: Had a very good practice and then lesson this morning. In practice worked on bits and pieces of Tango, mostly cross-back chasses through to the long 4-beat edge and the cross-roll RFO3. Then right before coach got there, was working on the promenade through to the swing closed outside mohawk.

Then in lesson, was able to cover almost as much ice on the first side of the dance solo as in the pair. RIght at the end of the lesson, did first side of dance with coach and we both had a rude shock. I did my intro-3 in the same place (in terms of length of the rink) that I've been doing it, but we ran out of rink before the 4-beat edge and had to pull out from the dance. Well coach did tell me to push down ice on the long edges of each of the cross-back chasse sequences...

Then we picked up with the promenade through the swing mohawk and RFI3. And the mohawk was one of the nicest I've ever done, even in the pair. And I had much more flow on the whole stretch including into the RFI3 so the turn was scratchy.

Also, coach complimented me on my stroking at the beginning of my lesson then said the infamous "but... " (head higher, more extension, etc...)

And... new boots next week! Called Klingbeil and they were shipped this past Friday. So lots of slaloms and stroking and Evil 8's in my near future.

Uncomfortable: Walking out into the heat and humidity after skating to rush to work.

Dodging bits and pieces of the Austrian Waltz and bits and pieces of our Junior dance team's OD (since I don't know their choreo yet to know where they are when to their music).

jazzpants · #9 06-28-2005, 12:02 PM

Comfortable:

Fire & Ice show: First ensemble number is pretty much done now short of some tweaking and refinements. I think there are other ensemble numbers too but I'm not sure which ones I'm in. We'll see.
Bronze moves: Not perfect, but comfortable.
Footwork that I've been working with is better... I think if I keep going that I'll eventually get it... Hopefully, secondary coach will be happier tomorrow morning.

Uncomfortable:

Found out that I didn't get primary coach's VM in time (not that I know that I was supposed to get it in time) and well, since his other student wasn't showing up, he didn't show up either. (It's okay though... it just means I'll have to show up for another lesson day...)
My lower back was killing me after skating over 2 hrs. Should have just gone home... (Comfortable part is that I'm finally taking a skating and gym break today!!!)
B/c of lower back, jump attempts were half hearted... I wasn't trying for it...
Sit spins and Backspins were BLAH...some good moments on backspins... but otherwise...

Mel On Ice · #10 06-28-2005, 12:34 PM

I have to start with uncomfortable first:

I competed this weekend at the GRO and came in third. No hip, hip, hoorays, that was as low as you could go. I made oh, four major mistakes on my count, grinding to a halt on the transistion to a back spiral, turned a loop/loop combo to a half loop/salchow, fell on the camel spin, and cut my attitude spin to a one foot spin. I was so mad at myself, and can't explain the mistakes except that this is a sport on a slippery surface, and mistakes happen. It is notable that this is the first time I have ever fallen in competition, and that includes 4 years skating synchro.

Comfy:
I did, however land my first flip and lutz in competition! And the rest of the program went well. I was pleased that I was able to get back up and continue, not punking out and quitting. As a matter of fact, since I was the last skater in the last event on that ice surface, I said to my coach and competitors "I can do that, I know I can," and went out and climbed back up on that horsel, performing perfectly (argh!) the section of the program that fell apart. Flying~camel and the other skater joined me and we all went out and did our mulligans together.

The mulligans really helped me today as I went out for practice. I didn't hang back on trying the loop/loop again and landed some really nice combos. Spirals were great, camel spin is better than it has been in two weeks.

Next up; preparing for my ISI freestyle 4 test.

flying~camel · #11 06-28-2005, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mel On Ice

I competed this weekend at the GRO and came in third. No hip, hip, hoorays, that was as low as you could go. I made oh, four major mistakes on my count, grinding to a halt on the transistion to a back spiral, turned a loop/loop combo to a half loop/salchow, fell on the camel spin, and cut my attitude spin to a one foot spin.

You can't forget the "what the hell" look on your face after the fall that cracked up everyone in the stands

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mel On Ice

I did, however land my first flip and lutz in competition! And the rest of the program went well.

You skated a beautiful program and I think the judges must have been blind to not place both of us higher!

Plus, the dress was gorgeous!

And now my uncomfortable:

In said competition on Saturday, I messed up all 3 of the spins in my program and 2-footed the lutz.

I haven't yet had a practice this week, so no new discomfort yet...

On the comfy side, I did make it through this program for the last time in competition and landed the split-tap toe-flip combo, loop, & salchow-toe loop in my program. I also passed Bronze moves 2 days before competing

Now that I get to start working on a new program, I have an agenda of what I want to work on: harder footwork, lutz consistency, combination jumps & spins, and better presentation. Maybe they're lofty goals, but at least it gives me something to work towards

*JennaD* · #12 06-28-2005, 08:11 PM

comfortable:

my axels are getting better! I landed some on the "harness" thingy that we have at my rink (my coach probably broke her back while trying to pull me up...

)

uncomfortable:

apparently I'm testing my preliminary skills in 2 weeks...which I am kinda bad at...I can't do them!! My 3-turns are horrible...for the mohawk skill I go way too slowly...

slusher · #13 06-28-2005, 09:49 PM

uncomfortable:

skated at the small rink, okay, I'm desperate, with the holiday coming up, my main rink has gone onto maintenance and I was going to pass on this summer school thing at the small rink, but I caved into the skating addiction. That's what credit cards are for.

Ice was bad. Very Bad. They were also doing a weird power skating session in one corner of the ice, I'm not used to hockey players on figure ice even if they are in a lesson.

The bonus was that coach said I didn't have to do things at full speed because the ice was dangerous. I'll never hear those words again.

Comfortable:

Learned the last thing I need for Preliminary Elements. Doesn't mean I can do it well but since I was told that in the Fall I would be testing Preliminary Skills and Elements, and at that point I still couldn't do a camel spin or flip jump, and my sit spin was iffy (it's still iffy, charity would classify it as "sitting") I didn't think I'd have a hope at testing. So that was a bit of a confidence boost that I might actually do the test, and did manage to get 3 rev on a camel spin today

However, my skills are iffy like JennaD's. I've been doing so much freeskate that I haven't done waltzing 3's in months, and my mohawks have slowed down alarmingly besides the fact that I keep screwing up the end pattern (okay, LEFT foot now), I'm not sure about them anymore. I also want to be back in the big rink before practicing, I don't want to break my head on an ice rut.

Mrs Redboots · #14 06-29-2005, 06:37 AM

Comfortable: No problem skating with the Husband, although we did avoid Kilian hold today! We worked on speed & flow in Open Kilian, then walked through our Golden Skaters' Waltz and Riverside Rhumba, and then through our Free Dance, and then decided to see if we could improve the choreography of the step sequence. Oh, and we did a couple of sequences of the Swing Dance (our current favourite), too.

In my lesson, worked totally on basic edges, including doing back inside edges with extension, "dance-fashion", which was new to me (I have been doing them, quite well, the way they are done as a Field Move here, which is basically using the edge to gain momentum, no extension, pushes or anything, so this was new). Also back cross-strokes & both back & forward cross-rolls.

Coach, for once, didn't suck his teeth at the prospect of my testing either level 3 Dance Moves or level 4 Compulsory Dances - we both know it won't be yet, but at least he seems to think I might manage them sooner rather than later! Maybe this winter....

Did a couple of patterns of Dutch Waltz & Canasta Tango solo and was pleasantly surprised at how much better these have got since last time I tried! Still not sure I'll compete solo at Oxford in November (as well as with Husband, you understand, not instead of!), but I might as well work them up, even if I do decide not to enter.

Uncomfortable: Me, in the night - discovered that not only do I have a huge graze on my lower left calf, and a large bruise on my left knee, but also one on my left hip - and that's the side I lie on! Plus I'd left my arnica in my skate bag (this has since been remedied).

Husband was extremely rude about my suggestion that I did a step to forwards and then a Mohawk to backwards again in our free dance, commenting unfavourably about my ability to turn! We tried another lift (off-ice) with singular lack of success. His twizzles have awful technique but cover the ice, mine are good, but don't move.... sigh....

Back cross-rolls abysmal. I can do them beautifully when someone holds my hand, but not unless. Back cross-strokes okay, but I still lurch forwards and lose momentum - but they are improving.

jenlyon60 · #15 06-29-2005, 08:55 AM

today was backwards skating day... back crossovers, back progressives, and the Tango cross-back chasses.

Back crossovers... coach #2 liked the knee bend and that I had my weight on the leading foot (i.e. the right foot for CCW and the left foot for CW). Also liked that she couldn't hear any toe picks. What she didn't like in the CCW direction was the angle of the push... too much in front and not enough to the side. So worked on fixing that, then had to make sure that I wasn't collapsing the knee inwards as I pushed out. CW direction: the leading foot (i.e. left foot) wasn't sitting down at the correct angle (in relationship to direction of travel) so I was getting scraping noises near the heel. I also wasn't getting the underpush at the angle she wanted to be able to get nice underpush extension.

Coach #1 decided (after he heard that coach #2 did back crossovers) that I should work on back progressives. Which I did. Both directions. Lots of them. CCW okay, but needed to brace the "inside of circle" side a bit more and bend the "outside of circle" knee more so that the whole action looks deliberate, not just "plonk and kick ". Generally the same comments on the CW side other than I needed to be tidier with my foot placement in relationship to each other.

Then it was Tango time. Lots more cross-back chasses and coach #1 noticed that on the long edge on the 3rd lobe before the ladies cross-behind and step-forward (where the man does the quick rocker) I wasn't finishing the lobe completely before trying to do the cross-behind. So he made me hold the lobe longer and it did make the cross-behind much easier. And then some more minor changes.

Next lesson... re-building the cross-roll RFO3 through to the beginning of the promenade in the solo... so that I'm maintaining some sense of flow through the end pattern.

Uncomfortable: Still not used to dodging the teams since I don't know all their choreo yet.

blue111moon · #16 06-29-2005, 10:30 AM

Comfortable: the rink temperature, for a change. Of course, it's swealtering outside so just stepping into the rink felt good by contrast but it was nice to not freeze for a change.

I also did a few run-throughs of the Interp program for the competition in Smithfield coming up after the 4th. I'm getting tangled up in the ball cord but otherwise I'm pretty happy with the whole thing.

And the rink installed an ice cream vending machine so one of the coaches treated us - she didn't want to eat alone.

Uncomfortable: flips flooped. I'm 0 for about a gazillion attempts again.

luna_skater · #17 06-29-2005, 01:59 PM

Comfortable: Things started out well today, with a bunch of nicely centered spins, with my free leg in an acceptable position. Waltz's were good, sals were excellent. Managed a couple of decent toe-loops! Also landed some decent waltz-loops and a sal-loop.

Uncomfortable: I made the mistake of not eating enough for breakfast, and felt weak very quickly. That led to a downward spiral throughout the session. *sigh* By the end of practice, I could not center a spin to save my life. A bit frustrated with my loops. The landing feels very tilted. Hoping tonight goes better!

Skate@Delaware · #18 06-29-2005, 02:26 PM

Comfortable: My blade is finally straight! it feels really good!

I can do a right 3-turn! (ok, gotta work on the arm position thingy, but the foot thingy is there!)

Uncomfortable: I'm trying to squeeze in an extra skate session tomorrow, as the rink is closed all weekend! BUT, my other half is having a cow!!

With all the rainshowers we've been having and the beach traffic, I don't want to go anywhere near the beach this weekend! We're hitting the pool Saturday!

Luna-keep some "power snacks" in your skate bag. Granola, nuts, even a lower sugar candy bar. I get hypoglycemic and sometimes have to tank up on a snack. I refuse to pay $1.50 for a candybar at the rink! Plus it's better to have your own food.

jazzpants · #19 06-29-2005, 02:53 PM

Comfortable:
Bed... before waking up for my lesson...

Uncomfortable:
Oh, dear! The program is becoming a paper mess.

I think I'm going to have to get myself a whiteboard and mark it up with tape (represents our rink...) Same with where I'm supposed to do certain elements at a point in the lyrics. And even my spin entry to the sit spin has been changed and she gave me the HARDER entry (for me anyway...) Of course, I don't DARE tell her it's the harder entry b/c she'll just say "Oh, good! Give you a challenge!!!"

Also, too many people in the FS session!

cutiesk8r43 · #20 06-30-2005, 10:52 AM

Comfortable:
High power was not as bad as thought it would be

Uncomfortable:
my legs hurt!!!!!!!!!!!!!

~cutie

ice-princess · #21 06-30-2005, 11:17 AM

I think I'll just get the uncomfortable out of the way:

Uncomfortable: I competed in a competition this week and ...came last. Mainly because i messed up my lutz-loop but probably also because after missing the jump I was going too slow and my step sequence didn't reach the other side of the rink. Was really upset because I'd done the jump perfectly in the warm up.

Also because i've never done that badly before...

Comfortable: My spins were really good, a lot better than many of the other competitors, when I looked at the tape.

Next competition is in 2 months, if i work hard, I think I'll do a lot better.

Debbie S · #22 06-30-2005, 12:30 PM

Comfortable: Worked a lot on extension last night trying to improve my 5-step mohawk and forward perimeter stroking patterns. I was pleased to be able to hold the 4th step of the 5-step longer than I had previously. Now the challenge is to not skid on the BO to FO transition.

Uncomfortable: "Click of death" on the crossover going into a forward scratch spin. This time, for once, I fell on my rear and not my knee, back, or elbow. My spins were kind of off - I guess that's what happens when you take a lot of time off. And my spirals are still a bit disappointing.

flo · #23 06-30-2005, 12:37 PM

comfy: Debbie, spirals dissapointing? I saw a great one, your foot was well above your head!
I had a good skate last night, although the boots are still not yet broken in.
It was good to get out there and really jump.

Debbie S · #24 06-30-2005, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flo

Debbie, spirals dissapointing? I saw a great one, your foot was well above your head!

Thanks, flo (and your lutz was awesome)! That may have been my RBO spiral that you saw. For some reason, that is looking better than my forward spirals. On my RFI spiral, which used to be my best spiral, my leg barely reached hip level. Got to do more stretching off-ice. I guess flexibility is kind of a use-it-or-lose-it skill.

Figureskates · #25 06-30-2005, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Debbie S

"Click of death" on the crossover going into a forward scratch spin. This time, for once, I fell on my rear and not my knee, back, or elbow. My spins were kind of off - I guess that's what happens when you take a lot of time off.

Ah yes, my signature move.

What is so nice about the "click of death" is that unlike other elements which if you don't practice or spend long periods off the ice, they disappear. The "click of death" is forever.

COMFORTABLE: My backwards power pulls. I am finally getting the change of edge going plus I am really starting to a get a rhythm so I can keep my speed across the ice. They aren't perfect, the right skate is a lot better than the left but practice will help there.

UNCOMFORTABLE: 1) My leg muscles the next day. I must be using a different muscle group here for these pwer pulls...anyone have any exercise ideas to focus on that muscle group.
2) Me, when I stepped out of a nice cool rink into a temperature that would melt lead and a humidity that has to be in the high four digits...phheeeee.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode